The Interplay of Growth Mechanism and Properties of ZnO Nanostructures for Different Applications

This review provides a background on the structure and properties of ZnO nanostructures. ZnO nanostructures are advantageous for many applications in sensing, photocatalysis, functional textiles, and cosmetic industries, which are described in this review. Previous work using UV Visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for ZnO nanorod growth analysis in-solution and on a substrate for determination of optical properties and morphology is discussed, as well as their results in determining the kinetics and growth mechanisms. From this literature review, it is understood that the synthesis process greatly affects nanostructures and properties; and hence, their applications. In addition, in this review, the mechanism of ZnO nanostructure growth is unveiled, and it is shown that by having greater control over their morphology and size through such mechanistic understanding, the above-mentioned applications can be affected. The contradictions and gaps in knowledge are summarized in order to highlight the variations in results, followed by suggestions for how to answer these gaps and future outlooks for ZnO nanostructure research.